The cost of the Indian Navy multi-utility helicopter procurement will be Rs 21,738 crore, to be cleared under the strategic partnership (SP) model. 16 (changed to 24) of them will be procured at a fly away condition while 95 will be manufactured in India.

There are likely to be just two candidate OEMs for the sub-5 tonne class NUH :– Bell 429WLG & Airbus AS.565. However, India Navy requires 44 (or at least 20) nos. of 10-tonne shipboard ​MRH (multi role helicopters) & also around 24 nos. of 12-tonne shipboard ​MRH (multi role helicopters)

"You can take chances with the hills, you can take chances with the weather, but it may become suicidal to take chances with the weather and the hills at the same time."

​One of the more difficult jobs for crews of transport aircraft is learning how to efficiently handle cargo loading and unloading quickly (as in a combat zone or even under fire).

If it rains heavily then sometimes visibility reduces to even less than 100 meters. The low valleys with heavy jungle vegetation and high humidity provide conditions that can give rise to clouds within minutes. An inflow of cold air currents can quickly turn the moisture into clouds that begin to rise upward from ground level.

Aurora Flight Sciences announced it's using the technology from its Autonomous Aerial Cargo Utility System (AACUS) to integrate the company's Tactical Autonomous Aerial Logistics System (TALOS) on a UH-1H helicopter as part of a program to produce a "platform agnostic" system that can be used on almost any VTOL aircraft to make it pilot optional. The system had been previously tested on an autonomous Boeing H-6U Unmanned Little Bird and three different manned Bell 206.

Military strategy deals with the planning and conduct of campaigns, the movement and disposition of forces, and the deception of the enemy. Early strategies included the strategy of annihilation, exhaustion, attrition warfare, scorched earth action, blockade, guerrilla campaign, deception and feint. Strategists continually exploited ever-advancing technology. The principles of military strategy emerged at least as far back as 500 BC in the works of Sun Tzu and Chanakya. The campaigns of Alexander the Great, Chandragupta Maurya, Hannibal, Qin Shi Huang, Julius Cæsar, Zhuge Liang, Khalid ibn al-Walid and, in particular, Cyrus the Great demonstrate strategic planning and movement. In 1520 Niccolò Machiavelli's Dell'arte della guerra (Art of War) dealt with the relationship between civil and military matters and the formation of grand strategy.

This gave rise to the concept of the grand strategy which encompasses the management of the resources of an entire nation in the conduct of warfare. In the environment of the grand strategy, the military component is largely reduced to operational strategy -- the planning and control of large military units such as corps and divisions. As the size and number of the armies grew and the technology to communicate and control improved, the difference between "military strategy" and "grand strategy" shrank. Fundamental to grand strategy is the diplomacy through which a nation might forge alliances or pressure another nation into compliance, thereby achieving victory without resorting to combat. Another element of grand strategy is the management of the post-war peace.

It was not until the 18th century that military strategy was subjected to serious study in Europe. The father of modern strategic study, Carl von Clausewitz, defined military strategy as "the employment of battles to gain the end of war." Assailed from all sides by France, Austria, Russia and Sweden, Frederick exploited his central position, which enabled him to move his army along interior lines and concentrate against one opponent at a time. Unable to achieve victory, he was able to stave off defeat until a diplomatic solution emerged. Frederick's "victory" led to great significance being placed on "geometric strategy" which emphasized lines of manoeuvre, awareness of terrain and possession of critical strong-points.

Genghis Khan's successes, and those of his successors, were based on manoeuvre and terror. The main focus of Genghis' strategic assault was the psychology of the opposing population. By steady and meticulous implementation of this strategy, Genghis and his descendants were able to conquer most of Eurasia. The building blocks of Genghis' army and his strategy were his tribal levies of mounted archers, scorched earth-style methods, and, equally essential, the vast horse-herds of Mongolia.

Each archer had at least one extra horse – there was an average five horses per man – thus the entire army could move with astounding rapidity. Moreover since horse milk and horse blood were the staples of the Mongolian diet, Genghis' horse-herds functioned not just as his means of movement but as his logistical sustainment. All other necessities would be foraged and plundered. Khan's marauders also brought with them mobile shelters, concubines, butchers, and cooks. Through maneuver and continuous assault, Chinese, Persian, Arab and Eastern European armies could be stressed until they collapsed, and were then annihilated in encirclement & pursuit. Compared to the armies of Genghis, nearly all other armies were cumbersome and relatively static.

So too did primitive biological warfare. A trebuchet or other type of ballista weapon would be used to launch dead animals and corpses into a besieged city, spreading disease and death, such as the Black Plague. If a particular town or city displeased the Mongolian Khan, everyone in the city would be killed to set an example for all other cities. This was early psychological warfare.

To refer to the nine strategic principles outlined above, the Mongol strategy was directed towards an objective (that the main focused on the morale & mental state of the opposing population) achieved through the offensive; this offensive was itself characterized by concentration of force, maneuver, surprise, and simplicity.​With the advent of cheap small arms and the rise of the drafted citizen soldier, armies grew rapidly in size to become massed formations. This necessitated dividing the army first into divisions and later into corps. Along with divisions came divisional artillery; light-weight, mobile cannon with great range and firepower. The rigid formations of pikemen and musketeers firing massed volleys gave way to light infantry fighting in skirmish lines. Napoleon I of France took advantage of these developments to pursue a brutally effective "strategy of annihilation" (scorched earth) that terrorized the populace and cared little for the mathematical perfection of the geometric strategy. Napoleon invariably sought to achieve decision in battle, with the sole aim of utterly destroying his opponent, usually achieving success through superior manoeuvre. As ruler and general he dealt with the grand strategy as well as the operational strategy, making use of political and economic measures.

Napoleon very effectively combined the relatively superior maneuver and battle stages into one event. Before this, General Officers had considered this approach to battle as separate events. However, Napoleon used the maneuver to battle to dictate how and where the battle would progress. The Battle of Austerlitz was a perfect example of this maneuver. Napoleon withdrew from a strong position to draw his opponent forward and tempt him into a flank attack, weakening his center. This allowed the French army to split the allied army and gain victory.

Napoleon used two primary strategies for the approach to battle. His "Manoeuvre De Derrière" (move onto the rear) was intended to place the French Army across the enemy's lines of communications. This forced the opponent to either march to battle with Napoleon or attempt to find an escape route around the army. By placing his army into the rear, his opponent's supplies and communications would be cut. This had a negative effect on enemy morale. Once joined, the battle would be one in which his opponent could not afford defeat. This also allowed Napoleon to select multiple battle angles into a battle site. Initially, the lack of force concentration helped with foraging for food and sought to confuse the enemy as to his real location and intentions. This strategy, along with the use of forced marches created a morale bonus that played heavily in his favor.

The "indirect" approach into battle also allowed Napoleon to disrupt the linear formations used by the allied armies. As the battle progressed, the enemy committed their reserves to stabilize the situation, Napoleon would suddenly release the flanking formation to attack the enemy. His opponents, being suddenly confronted with a new threat and with little reserves, had no choice but to weaken the area closest to the flanking formation and draw up a battle line at a right angle in an attempt to stop this new threat. Once this had occurred, Napoleon would mass his reserves at the hinge of that right angle and launch a heavy attack to break the lines. The rupture in the enemy lines allowed Napoleon's cavalry to flank both lines and roll them up leaving his opponent no choice but to surrender or flee.

The second strategy used by Napoleon I of France when confronted with two or more enemy armies was the use of the central position. This allowed Napoleon to drive a wedge to separate the enemy armies. He would then use part of his force to mask one army while the larger portion overwhelmed and defeated the second army quickly. He would then march on the second army leaving a portion to pursue the first army and repeat the operations. This was designed to achieve the highest concentration of men into the primary battle while limiting the enemy's ability to reinforce the critical battle. The central position had a weakness in that the full power of the pursuit of the enemy could not be achieved because the second army needed attention.

So overall the preferred method of attack was the flank march to cross the enemy's logistics. Napoleon used the central position strategy during the Battle of Waterloo.

Napoleon's practical strategic triumphs, repeatedly leading smaller forces to defeat larger ones, inspired a whole new field of study into military strategy. In particular, his opponents were keen to develop a body of knowledge in this area to allow them to counteract a masterful individual with a highly competent group of officers, a General Staff. The two most significant students of his work were Carl von Clausewitz, a Prussian with a background in philosophy, and Antoine-Henri Jomini, who had been one of Napoleon's staff officers.

One notable exception to Napoleon's strategy of annihilation and a precursor to trench warfare were the Lines of Torres Vedras during the Peninsular campaign. French Armies lived off the land and when they were confronted by a line of fortifications which they could not out flank, they were unable to continue the advance and were forced to retreat once they had consumed all the provisions of the region in front of the lines. As the British army could be correspondingly smaller it was able to supply its troops by sea and land without having to live off the land as was the norm at the time. Further, because they did not have to forage they did not antagonise the locals and so did not have to garrison their lines of communications to the same extent as the French did.

The Peninsular campaign was notable for the development of another method of warfare which went largely unnoticed at the time, but would become far more common in the 20th century. That was the aid and encouragement the British gave to the Spanish to harass the French behind their lines which led them to squander most of the assets of their Iberian army in protecting the army's line of communications. This was a very cost effective move for the British, because it cost far less to aid Spanish insurgents than it did to equip and pay regular British army units to engage the same number of French troops. So the strategy of aiding their Spanish civilian allies in their guerrilla or 'small war' benefited the British in many ways, not all of which were immediately obvious.​Railroads enabled swift movement of large forces but the manoeuvring was constrained to narrow, vulnerable corridors. Steam power and ironclads changed transport and combat at sea. Newly invented telegraph enabled more rapid communication between armies and their headquarters capitals. Combat was still usually waged by opposing divisions with skirmish lines on rural battlefields, violent naval engagements by cannon-armed sailing or steam-powered vessels, and assault on military forces defending a town. In addition to exploiting railroads and highways for manoeuvre, Moltke also exploited the telegraph for control of large armies. He recognised the increasing need to delegate control to subordinate commanders and to issue directives rather than specific orders. Moltke is most remembered as a strategist for his belief in the need for flexibility and that no plan, however well prepared, can be guaranteed to survive beyond the first encounter with the enemy.

Field Marshal Schlieffen succeeded Moltke and directed German planning in the lead up to World War I. He advocated the "strategy of annihilation" but was faced by a war on two fronts against numerically superior opposition. At a time when industrialisation was reaping major advances in naval technology, one American strategist, Alfred Thayer Mahan, almost single-handedly brought the field of naval strategy up to date. Influenced by Jomini's principles of strategy, he saw that in the coming wars, where economic strategy could be as important as military strategy, control of the sea granted the power to control the trade and resources needed to wage war. Mahan pushed the concept of the "big navy" and an expansionist view where defence was achieved by controlling the sea approaches rather than fortifying the coast. His theories contributed to the naval arms race between 1898 and 1914.

The problem with "strategy of attrition" intended to wear down the enemy was that the use of fortified defenses in depth generally required a ratio of ten attackers to one defender, or a level of artillery support which was simply not feasible until late 1917, for any reasonable chance of victory. The ability of the defender to move troops using interior lines prevented the possibility of fully exploiting any breakthrough with the level of technology then.

Between WW1-WW2, the leading theorist of air power was Italian general Giulio Douhet who believed that future wars would be won or lost in the air. The air force would carry the offensive and the role of the ground forces would be defensive only. Douhet's doctrine of strategic bombing meant striking at the enemy's heartland—his cities, industry and communications. Air power would thereby reduce his willingness and capacity to fight.

The strategy of the Cold War was that of containment and it was a generation dominated by the threat of total world annihilation through the use of nuclear weapons. Deterrence was a part of containment via retributive intimidation from the risk of mutually assured destruction. As a consequence it was also a war in which attacks were not exchanged between the two main rivals, the United States and the Soviet Union. Instead, the war was fought through proxies.

Conventional armies face political attrition for each action they take. Insurgent forces can cause harm and create chaos, whereby the conventional army suffers a loss of confidence and esteem; or they can drive the conventional elements into an attack which further exacerbates the civilian condition. The gap in strategy today (from a Western viewpoint) is in what the Americans call "asymmetric warfare": the battle against guerrilla forces by conventional national armed forces. The classical strategic triumvirate of politics/military/populace is very weak against protracted warfare of paramilitary forces such as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, Hezbollah, ETA, PKK, and Al-Qaeda. The ability of conventional forces to deliver utility (effect) from their hugely powerful forces is largely nullified by the difficulties of distinguishing and separating combatants from the civilian populace in whose company they hide. The use of the military by the politicians to police areas seen as bases for these guerrillas leads to them becoming targets themselves which eventually undermines the support of the populace from whom they come and whose values they represent. The mass formations of Industrial War are often seen as much less effective than the unconventional forces that these organisations also possess. The new opponents operate at a local level whereas Industrial armed forces work at a much higher 'theatre' level. The nervous system of these new opponents is largely political rather than military hierarchical and adapted to the local supporting populace who hide them. The centre provides the political idea and driving logic perhaps with overall direction and some funding. Local groups decide their own plans, raise much of their own funds and may be more or less aligned to the centre's aims. Defeat of forces when revealed does not disable this type of organisation, many modern attack strategies will tend to increase the power of the group they are intended to weaken.

​CQ-10A Snowgoose UAV is Special Operations Command’s derivative of Mist Mobility Integrated Systems Technology ’s (MMIST). It is a further development of the Sherpa cargo parachute system.

The CA-10A ejects the cargo containers when it is low and within 30 meters (100 feet) of the GPS coordinates it was programmed with. The CQ-10B operates like a helicopter and can land for unloading. The A version has a range of 300 kilometers and a top speed of 61 kilometers an hour. The B version has a range of 600 kilometers and a top speed of 120 kilometers an hour.

It can stay in the air for up to 20 hours, is guided by onboard GPS and mechanical flight controls operated by a special microcomputer. The Special Forces are using them for things like delivering supplies, or dropping psychological warfare leaflets. The UAV is particularly good for delivering supplies to long range patrols, units that need their stuff delivered discretely at night.

​Its tech is also complex, and that takes a lot longer to tweak into a high state of reliability. The current rotor blades fitted on the V-22 are too labor-intensive to manufacture and Bell Helicopter will test a blade under the manufacturer’s Advanced Technology Tiltrotor (ATTR) program.

Based on the US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey variant, the US Navy’s CMV-22B, which is replacing the Northrop Grumman C-2 Greyhound aircraft, will come equipped with extended-range fuel system.

Heavy Cargo Lift

India's Boeing CH-47 Chinook Block II (which has better high-altitude capability than Mi-26) is for Combat search and rescue (CSAR) missions. 15 CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopters will be bought to replace the IAF’s Mi-26 helicopters, of which just 3-4 remain serviceable. British Chinook fleet is the largest outside the US. India has the toughest battlefield requirements, like no other in the world, due to the Himalayan heights, as in Siachen. At present, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army operate HAL-made Cheetah and Dhruv helicopters with partial load in extreme conditions and with extreme care in touch and go operations. Boeing recently signed India as its 19th Chinook customer.

“The Indian specifications are very difficult and any solutions would need unique rotor technologies and advanced performance parameters.” The idea is to develop a helicopter which can perform reconnaissance and land at Siachen-like heights with a full load of cargo or troops, a capability which does not yet exist anywhere in the world.

CH-47 is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. With a top speed of 170 knots (196 mph, 315 km/h) it is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s. The CH-47 is one of the few aircraft of that era that is still in production and front line service, with over 1,179 built to date. Its primary roles include troop movement, artillery emplacement and battlefield resupply. It has a wide loading ramp at the rear of the fuselage and three external-cargo hooks.

The CH-47 is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. The latest mainstream generation is the CH-47F, which features several major upgrades to reduce maintenance, digitized flight controls, and is powered by two 4,733-horsepower Honeywell engines. It has the improved rotor blade and drive train, plus a reduction in separate fuel cells from six to two. Block II aims to keep the 50-year-old type in operation through 2060. CH-47F requires less than 40 hours of maintenance per flying hour (can even be 20 man-hours), whereas the Mi-26Ts requires at least 100 man-hours of maintenance per flying hour. CH-46G 'fat' fuel tanks fitted along each side of the fuselage greatly extend its range but also result in a heavier and slower aircraft. CH-47F Block II, uses a redesigned fuel system, improved drivetrain and structural improvements to the fuselage. The CH-46F was notorious for problems with its utility hydraulic pump. It was not manoeuvrable, in that the aircraft couldn’t change its velocity vector quickly. Once you dumped airspeed, it was hard to get it back.

The CH-47F and Mi-26 are radically different helicopters. The Chinook incorporates a new tandem rotor layout compared with the Mi-26's conventional helicopter layout with a main and tail rotor. The Mi-26 is much larger, with a maximum takeoff weight of 56,000kg (123,000lb) compared with the Chinook's maximum gross weight of 22,668kg but Chinook has a higher degree of loading/unloading flexibility (especially rear loading) coupled with a significantly greater number of cargo/troops/equipment configurations convinced the IAF that switching to the tandem rotor machine made more sense than explore the very capable Mi-26T2, that sports better engines, avionics and safety features than the variant the IAF currently operates. The Chinook's flying qualities, agility in the air, significantly lower rotor diameter and landing flexibility will allow the IAF to fly it where it couldn't have even thought of taking the Mi-26. The Chinook's performance with under-slung cargo also won the IAF over. Also the Chinook can be transported in the hold of the C-17 Globemaster III, of which India has ordered 10 examples. Boeing says this greatly enhances the CH-47F's ability to be deployed to distant locations.​​Since the 1990s, the U.S. Army had used UH-60 "Blackhawk" helicopters for combat assault missions, while the larger CH-47 "Chinook" was used just for moving cargo. But the army found that, in the high altitudes of Afghanistan, the more powerful CH-47 was often the only way to go in the thin mountain air. While doing that the army found that the CH-47 made an excellent assault helicopter. In many ways it was superior to the UH-60, mainly because the CH-47 carries more troops and moves faster and farther. The CH-47F has even more powerful engines and is even more valuable for high altitude assaults. It is the best helicopter for use in Afghanistan, having proved able to deal with the dust and high altitude operations better than other transport choppers.

U.S. Special operation forces operates 31 MH-47Ds and Es, which have additional navigation gear. The army is also trying to “converge” some of the differences between the Army CH-47F and US Special Operations Command G-model to reduce support costs. The Chinooks are estimated to cost around Rs. 7,000 crore. Its manufacturer Boeing had to extend its commercial bid for the contract to India 13 times before being cleared.

Mi-26 (NATO: Halo) is a heavy transport helicopter

It is the largest and most powerful helicopter ever to have gone into production. It was built by Soviet aerospace manufacturer Aeroflot in the 1970s from the earlier M-6 design to serve primarily in both military and civilian heavy-lift operations with a capacity twice that of other helicopters of the time. India bought one squadron of the heavy-lift Mi-26 helicopter, which will soon be replaced by the Chinook CH-47F.

IAF had four Mi-26, but now is left with just one serviceable machine. The Indian Air Force (IAF) ordered six Mi-26 helicopters, the first two of which, worth $3.86m, were delivered in June 1986. The third and fourth were delivered to IAF in February 1989 at a cost of $4.73m. The remaining two, however, were cancelled due to reduced utilisation of the aircraft. The IAF has also procured 12 engines.

Controlling this behemoth requires a crew of four—two pilots, a navigator, a flight engineer, a flight technician, and occasionally and additional cargo handler—though the pilots do get some help from the flight control's redundant autopilot, stability-augmentation, and automatic hover systems.

In the spring of 2002, a civilian Mi-26 was leased to recover two U.S. Army MH-47E Chinook helicopters from a mountain in Afghanistan. The Chinooks, operated by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, had been employed in Operation Anaconda, an effort to drive al Qaeda and Taliban fighters out of the Shahi-Kot Valley and surrounding mountains. One of the aircraft, doing construction and firefighting work in neighboring Tajikistan, was leased for $300,000; it lifted the Chinook with a hook and flew it to Kabul, then later to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan to ship to Fort Campbell, Kentucky for repairs. Six months later, a second U.S. Army CH-47 that had made a hard landing 100 miles (160 km) north of Bagram at an altitude of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) was recovered by another Sportsflite-operated Mi-26 Heavycopter.

Mi-26 is extensively used in the rescue operations of Uttarakhand floods affecting the northern part of India in 2013. Airlifting heavy equipments for repairing and re-establishing roads and connectivity.

Starting from the 1960s, the IAF bought 110 Mi-4 helicopters, then 128 Mi-8. The Mi-8s were inducted into the IAF in 1972 when they arrived in crates from erstwhile USSR to Mumbai where they were assembled and test-flown by Russian and Indian teams before being dispatched to their first unit in Assam.​ China imported Mi-8s since 1970s, Mi-17s and Mi-171s later for military forces and civilian cargo transportation.

HAL is looking for a 10 to 12.5 ton AUW class twin turboshaft engine modulated by a dual-channel FADEC system. India Navy requires 44 (or at least 20) nos. of 10-ton shipboard ​ helicopters & also around 24 nos. of 12-ton shipboard helicopters. However, IA wants a 16-ton stealthy helicopter, the IAF a 12-ton helicopter, while the IN wants a 10-ton helicopter. They different on its maximum takeoff weight (MTOW). HAL multi-role helicopter (IMRH) should be capable of operation without any oil replenishment for 4 hours which should be capable of air starts up to an altitude of 5.5 km. HAL also sought technical consultancy on rotor system and review of the transmission system of multi-role helicopter.

Navy's Multi-role

Overall availability of choppers is less than 20% in the Indian Navy.

"ASW helicopters are never used for detecting underwater threats. They used to be used only for localising the threats & then launching lightweight, shallow-depth torpedoes. With the advent of autonomous surface vessels equipped with dunking sonars, the localisation functions no longer require helicopters or dunking sonars. The shipborne NMRH today is therefore far less useful as an ASW platform & far more useful for OTH targeting ASCM mid-course vectoring/cueing purposes."

Indian Navy wants the NUH to be able to hover out of ground effect (HOGE) from sea level with two pilots and an under-slung load of one light weight torpedo, proceed at least 30 nautical miles from its ship at cruising speed and deploy its weapon payload and return back to ship with 20 min reserve of fuel. The navy wants its Chetak replacement to also be a fully capable submarine hunter, a mission its light utility helos has never been able to perform.

Kamov Ka-28PL is a downgraded version of the Ka-27 (NATO reporting name 'Helix') military helicopter developed for the Soviet Navy, and currently in service in various countries including Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, People's Republic of China, Republic of Korea (South Korea), and India.

India has 10 Ka-28PL, only four are were in flying condition while the remaining had been mothballed for spares. All 10 Ka-28PL are now being modernized and its sensors are being upgraded. Since Russia does not allow the import of European equipment, personnel from Russian helicopters will amalgamate the helicopters with state of the art European sensors and equipment in Vizag naval station Dega. Such an effort has been attempted for the very first time. The delay (since 2008) was due to one of the firms which was to supply the radar, Selex Galileo, was a subsidiary of the tainted firm Finmeccanica, the MoD was careful about progressing.

In the waters of Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, due to composition and currents, hull-mounted sonar often lose their edge, a point where ASW helicopters with their dunking sonars come in handy. While every warship has a hull-mounted sonar for tracking submarines beneath, experts believe that few can match the potency of an ASW helicopter. Another reason why helicopters are favoured is because while they can hunt a submarine, there is no way a submarine can detect, far less hunt down a chopper.

The first Sikorsky S-92 – a large, twin-engine helicopter that can be used for both civil and military purposes – with a Made-in-India air-frame is now flying in Brazil.

Sikorsky and the Tata group have a 26:74 partnership A US$ 200 million manufacturing plant is operational in Hyderabad from 2010. Initially, TASL will supply the complete cabins for the S-92 to Sikorsky.

Sikorsky S-92 was developed from the Sikorsky S-70 helicopter and has similar parts such as flight control and rotor systems. The H-92 Superhawk is a military version of the S-92 in the utility transport role, capable of carrying 22 troops.

MH-16 model of S-70B Mk.2 seahawk

Sikorsky S-70i

​Indian Navy has selected 16 Sikorsky S-70B SeaHawks multi-role helicopters (NMRH) but a contract was not signed due to lack of funds. In 2018 India was cleared to purchase 24 MH-60Rs Seahawk for $1.8 billion, which will replace Indian Navy's old British-built Westland Sea King helicopters. India MoD has also given go-ahead to also buy 111 additional maritime helicopters to replace old Chetak/Allouette III helicopters currently in service with the Navy.

U.S.-made S-70B

The S-70B aircraft is part of Sikorsky’s SeaHawks helicopter family (including the SH-60 and MH-60 models) and can be used both for anti-surface and advanced anti-submarine warfare. The Seahawk is a multi-purpose naval variant of the US Army's Black Hawk UH 60 helicopter.

Sikorsky Aircraft Crops. on 5 December 2014 bagged the 6000 crore rupees deal for supply of 16 Multi-role Helicopters (MRH) to the Indian Navy for shipboard multi-role helicopter (MRH) requirement, with an option for eight additional aircraft. The company will also provide complete logistics support and training program. The company has already offered to build helicopters in India under transfer of technology (TOT) subject to US export control laws.

The Indian Navy variant will include avionics and flexible open-architecture weapons management systems that integrate advanced sonar, 360-degree search radar, modern air-to-surface missiles, and torpedoes for the ASW role. Folding blades and tail will facilitate shipboard storage. One key requirement is for amphibious assault role - and the machines will be customized for that.

It will have potent radars and weapons from leading global majors, including Raytheon, Telephonics, BAE Systems, GE (two power plants), French Thales and six other partners. The helicopters will replace the Indian Navy's quarter-century-old Westland Sea King Mk 42 B/C fleet.

The company might look at producing S-70B Seahawk naval helicopters in the country if it won a likely additional order for around 120 multi-role helicopters. Sikorsky, part of the United Technologies group, has a venture with Tata Advanced Systems in Hyderabad to make helicopter cabins. He said they might bring in more partners if it started manufacturing in India.

The UH-60 (militarized version of the Sikorsky S-60) was introduced in 1979. The 11 ton UH-60M can carry 14 troops, or 1.1 tons of cargo internally, or four tons slung underneath. Cruise speed is 278 kilometers an hour. Max endurance is two hours, although most sorties last 90 minutes or less. Max altitude is 5,790 meters (19,000 feet).

INAS 336 (INS Garuda) Harpoons Utility Transport & ASW helicopter

India's Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King Mk.42B (company designation S-61 ororiginally Westland WS-61), the British licence-built version of U.S. UH-3H, is a twin-engined, multi utility cargo/transport, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter. It was a landmark design, being the first ASW helicopter to take advantage of turbo-shaft engines, as well as being the first amphibious helicopter in the world. India has a total of 20 improved Sea Kings, called Harpoons by the Indian Navy, were delivered to India between 1988 and 1992. The older Sea King Mk 42 and 42A were retired from active service almost two decades ago.

​The helicopters, the UH-3Hs, were bought as an integral part of Austin-class LPD Trenton. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), India’s apex auditor, has found that serviceability — the availability of helicopters at any given time — of the US-made helicopter was as low as 27.10% in 2015-16 which is seriously affecting optimum utilization of the LPD. Serviceability of the helicopter remained ‘unsatisfactory’ i.e. below the level of 50% since the purchase. The Indian auditor had warned the Indian Navy about the purchase of more than 50-year-old helicopters but the defense ministry had stated that the procurement of UH-3H helicopters was a considered decision to provide an interim solution for onboard aircraft of INS Jalashwa.

Many of the differences between the Westland-built Sea King and the original helicopter were as a result of differing operational doctrine. While the U.S. Navy Sea Kings were intended to be under tactical control of the carrier from which they operated, the Royal Navy intended its helicopters to be much more autonomous, capable of operating alone, or coordinating with other aircraft or surface vessels. This resulted in a different crew arrangement, with operations being controlled by an observer rather than the pilot, as well as fitting a search radar.

Following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Pakistan invested heavily in modern submarines and long-range torpedoes. In response, India opted to procure six Westland Sea Kings from Britain in 1969, for ASW duties, designated as Mk42. The purchase also included the provision of air-droppable homing torpedoes for use against submarines. The delivery began a few months before the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Due to training shortfalls on the Sea King helicopter operations were considerably restricted during the 1971 war; by November 1971, increased aircrew experience had enabled offensive anti-submarine operations to be conducted. In 1982, India signed another contract to purchase several of the upgraded variant, Mk42B Sea Kings, to perform dual-purpose: anti-shipping and anti-submarine missions, following a competition for the order against the Aerospatiale Super Puma. These helicopters would operate from the Godavari class frigates as well as replace the existing Sea Kings. In 1987, Sea King helicopters were inducted in the Indian Navy.

In May 1998, the United States enacted sanctions upon India as a part of the international response to a series of nuclear weapons tests by India. As of 1999, these sanctions effectively grounded India's Sea Kings because India could not purchase any U.S.-supplied spare parts for the fleet. Westland also complied with the sanctions by refusing to maintain any U.S.-made components. In the late 2000s, HAL and AgustaWestland signed an agreement to jointly maintain and perform upgrades to India's fleet of Sea Kings.

The indigenous Dhruv advance light helicopter was the intended replacement for the Sea King in the ASW role, however, in 2000, it was deemed unsuited, as the Indian Navy were dissatisfied with the design's folding blade mechanism and due to ship integration issues. We are no closer to getting 16 new MRH so critical when rivals are consolidating their fleets with potent submarines. Now the indigenous I/NMRH programme is intended to replace the Sea King in the ASW role.

14-ton Z-18 ASW based on the heavily re-designed AC-313 by use of composites (i.e. an improved Z-8 design, which itself an illegal clone developed from the license produced long-serving French Aérospatiale SA-321 Super Frelon). Only about 20 of the original Z-8 have been built. The license for SA-321 Super Frelon also included the French Turbomeca Turmo 3C engines which the Chinese produced as the WZ-6. China bought some SA-321s in the early 1970s. France retired the last of its SA 321 Super Frelon helicopters in 2010. The French originally designed it to be a naval helicopter but since the helicopter tends to fail in combat zones, it most ended up serving as troop and cargo transports.

​In 2010 the Z-8B, derived from the Z-8 naval helicopter, was in production and only 12 were built. Z-8G (Gaoyuan, or "Plateau") is a further upgraded Z-8B triple engine, medium transport helicopter manufactured by AVIC. But eventually, China developed another improved Z-8 called the Z-18. ​In 2018 China introduced its Army version, the Z-18A (the Z-8A had been used by the army for only 6 years) to eventually replace the Russian Mi-17s that have been the backbone of Chinese army aviation until now but that was too late for the army which went with the new Z-20.

Z-18 features a redesigned lower fuselage, with power provided by three improved WZ-6 turboshaft engines. These modifications appear to be in line with the Avicopter AC313 commercial design (originally designated Z-8F-100) that first flew from CAIG's Jingdezhen production facility in 2010. It is described as a 13 ton naval helicopter that carries a dipping sonar, 32 sonobuoys and up to four light (235 kg/517 pound) anti-submarine torpedoes.

None of the current PLAN destroyers or frigates will be able to support the 13.8-tonne maximum take-off weight of the heavy Z-18, so in the near term it will be limited to operating at sea from the carrier Liaoning and the three Type 071 amphibious landing platform docks. The anticipated construction of Type 081 landing platform helicopter ships and Type 055 destroyers would increase the number of platforms that are capable of embarking the aircraft.

The Chinese Navy, for the more serious missions like anti-submarine operations, bought Russian Ka-28/31 naval helicopters, beginning in the late 1990s. The 12 ton Ka-28 entered service in 1982 in the Soviet (later Russian) navy as an anti-submarine aircraft. This family of naval helicopters do not have the finish, reliability or reputation of Western models, but costs a lot less, and still gets the job done.

Light Multirole Helicopter for Army

​One problem is the lack of comms radio frequency spectrum synchronization between Army Dhruv ALH & IAF Mi-17V-5

Turbomeca's redoubtable Ardiden helicopter engine which HAL assembles and has renamed it the Shakti engine.

It was designed for HAL by specialists from Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm, who built the Eurocopter. The materials used by Dhruv in its production processes are procured mainly from Toray and Honshu (Japan) and Hoechst (Germany). Dhruv is an all-weather helicopter which can carry 10-16 people at heights of 10,000 feet, in the 5.5 tone class. Around 140 Dhruvs are being currently operated by various armed forces in India. By 2017 HAL will complete delivery of an earlier contract for 159 Dhruvs, of which 83 are utility versions and 76 are an armed version called the Rudra.

Turbomeca TM333 engine that was initially fitted on the Dhruv ALH while the Shakti was being developed. The ALH Mk-III with Shakti engines has exceptional high altitude performance. It exceeds the original ASR high-altitude payload-cum-landing requirement at 6 km altitude at high temperatures and is perhaps the only helicopter in existence worldwide in this AUW class category that can fulfil the requirement. It has among the best in-class cabin volume with seating for 14 fully equipped troops. In fact, the cabin space is comparable with even the 9-tonne AUW class Black Hawk.

The genesis of these service requirements was the decision of the Government in the late Seventies to develop indigenously, a light helicopter that could take care of the needs of the three services. The Army-IAF variant was to have EW suite and advanced sighting and aiming systems and the Navy variant was to have dipping sonar, surveillance radar, sonobuoys and MAD. The Navy also wanted capability to change roles in quick-time (capability to remove ASR equipment in three hours). HAL was tasked in 1984 to develop the helicopter and Germany's Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) was contracted in July 1984 to act as a design consultant and collaborative partner for the programme for a period of 10 years.

The combination of spectrum-sweeping performance and role requirements that were demanded from a single platform and certain design options that were incorporated, caused extremely severe hurdles to practical implementation. Whereas today one is not aware of the imperatives that influenced the drafting of the staff requirements in the late Seventies, or the decision of the Negotiations Committee in accepting the recommendations of MBB in the early Eighties, the fact remains that some of the futuristic design options put forth by MBB were initially resounding failures. The project that was supposed to have progressed smoothly under the tutelage of advanced German technology, instead stumbled badly to almost a point of no-return and required extreme effort by our indigenous teams to recover, re-develop from basic design stages and optimise for production.

The demand for extreme excellence at specific performance points and in some roles is justified and even welcomed, as that is what makes the product unique. However, the problem creeps in when the requirements are at far too many points spread across the spectrum and are also beyond the range of contemporary technology for a single platform. Whereas the IAF-Army and Navy had issued separate ASRs, the fact remained that the base platform was common and the IAF-Army ASR also acknowledged the fact. Especially when seen together, some of the requirements were clearly contradictory and beyond the reach of contemporary technology for a single platform. The fact remains that in hindsight, the total expectations raised by the NSR and ASR are not achievable even today, by a single platform.

Each system, when seen in isolation appeared to be the way forward to meet the challenging requirements that were specified in terms of manoeuvrability, low basic weight, high altitude performance and ballistic tolerance. However, implementing some of these concepts caused severe delays and proved extremely challenging. Whatever the reasons were then for opting for the configuration, the fact remained that for a first-time project, there were too many new concepts being tried out. It would also appear that Germany's Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm MBB had either over-estimated their capabilities.

The first series of ALH MGBs were spectacular failures – these would not even last one hour of ground run on the Ground Test Vehicle (GTV). During 1994-95, MBB’s involvement in design consultancy of the project abruptly ceased as their contract had expired and was not renewed for any further period. This period was crucial, as flights of the first prototypes were well underway and all the design related problems were showing up on test-benches, Ground Test Vehicle (GTV) and on the prototypes. Issues pertaining to repeated and early failures of the MGB, failures of the ARIS, weight increase, etc had very clearly manifested during this period. After MBB (and ZF) left, it took our dedicated in-house transmission team many years of sweat and hard work, to recover the situation by going back to the drawing board, experiment with several remedial measures and introduce numerous modifications, so as to gradually bring the MGB to production standard. Obviously, this caused severe delays in the project.

During an informal interaction many years later with MBB’s then chief designer for ALH in India, he candidly indicated to this author that the ARIS in his opinion was not an easy concept to implement and should not have been used for a first-time project like the ALH. It was another herculean task again taken on by the in-house vibration analyses group to re-design, experiment and gradually bring the ARIS to a standard suited for production aircraft. Subsequently, it was learnt that MBB had installed a simpler two-axis SARIB vibration dampers on their Tiger attack helicopter, which uses a main rotor similar to the ALH. Here it would appear that there was an attempt by MBB to experiment with an uncertain high-risk design option on our project.

Recent helicopter projects such as the NH-90 have used more than 1900 hours of wind tunnel testing that has included large 1:3.88 scale models with powered rotating main rotors (model rotor diameter 4.2 m) in the Large Low speed Facility (LLF) of the German Dutch Wind-tunnel (DNW). Wind tunnel testing was used to refine the design of the engine intakes, exhausts, IR suppressors, horizontal stabiliser setting and even rotor performance and helicopter stability characteristics. Using data from such tests, the design of the prototypes itself can be refined to such an extent that it would reduce flight testing, developmental efforts and time. In fact it has been acknowledged that the extensive tests with powered models in wind-tunnels had contributed substantially towards the NH-90 project. In sharp contrast, we are yet to establish such facilities in the country. The option of using facilities abroad for such extensive testing is not easy, given the inevitable bureaucratic delays in approvals and uncertainties of free time slots available at those wind-tunnels during our required time periods.

The ALH has a very rugged airframe, mainly due due to its crashworthy design. This has been proven during a couple of instances of mishandling. In one instance involving the civil wheeled variant ALH, the crew mis-handled and entered a state of vortex ring during a routine maintenance sortie. The aircraft impacted the ground with a vertical acceleration well in excess of 14.5 G, yet the crew and passengers survived with relatively minor injuries. There was negligible compression of the cabin and cockpit area, which were largely intact and the heavy masses atop (engines and MGB) did not penetrate the cabin. The civil certification authority (DGCA) investigator remarked on the ruggedness of the ALH and said that had it instead been any another civil type, the outcome for the crew and passengers would have been very different.

The ALH is designed for the Indian Army and the Air Force by HAL to fly up to 20,000 feet but previous ALH models couldn't fly above 5,000 meters, thereby defeating the purpose of the project. The Indian Army has experienced at least 18 Dhruv helicopters crashes since 2002. The faults have since been rectified, adding that the Dhruv Mk III, with its improved Shakti engine. The Dhruv Mark III has been improved over the earlier Dhruv models with the fitment of 21 improved systems. The differences that are visually apparent include:

The Turbomeca Shakti engine, which has a sleeker air intake, which is slanted backwards and set more flush with the engine cowling than the intakes of the 2B2 engine in the Dhruv Mk I.

The Dhruv Mk III has an glass cockpit with an Integrated Standby Instrument System (ISIS), built by Datasol, Bangalore.

A Standby Engine Instrument (SEI), built by Astronautics, Israel, which provides emergency engine information when all the multi-function displays (MFDs) go blank, or the computer fails totally. The SEI system consists of the basic instruments required to fly and to land the helicopter, including a gyro horizon, an airspeed indicator, a barometric altimeter, current heading through a magnetic compass, and engine parameters, including torque, rpm, and power. All these parameters are fed from separate stand-alone sensors --- not from the main systems --- in order to provide true redundancy.

An Active Vibration Control System (AVCS), a 3-D vibration control system in which 6 circular actuators nullify the natural vibrations of the main and tail rotors, as well as the many gearboxes on the Dhruv. This is done by detecting the vibrations and generating an opposite set of forces. You can see two of the actuators fitted on the rear wall of the Dhruv.

A noise reduction blanket that coats the inside of the helicopter cabin.

A state-of-the-art pilot’s seat, built by Fisher, Germany

In 2013, during the Uttarakhand floods, an embattled army and air force conducted relentless rescue operations for two weeks with 22 Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), flying more than 1,000 sorties to save thousands of lives. Elsewhere, the Dhruv’s robust Shakti engine, optimized for high altitude flying operations, services the Indian Army’s daunting, 20,000 feet-high pickets on the Himalayan border, including the Siachen Glacier sector.

Only 6 out of 10 Dhruvs are available to fly at any moment. The low availability eroded customer confidence. That “fleet availability” figure of 60% is set to improve with the "performance based logistics" contract relates to 32 Dhruv choppers being bought for Rs 8,000 crore for the navy and the Coast Guard. It will also extend to an impending contract for 41 more Dhruvs for the army. This is the first time an Indian manufacturer is guaranteeing the performance of a weapons platform. India has similar contracts in place for foreign aircraft like the C-17 Globemaster III and the Rafale fighter.

Airbus Helicopters (Eurocopter) EC145 or BK-­­­117 C-­­2

In the late 1960s, the German Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm firm (MBB, later part of Airbus Helicopter) introduced a utility helicopter, the "Bo 105", that proved very successful on the global helicopter market. It was followed by an improved successor, the Airbus "EC 135".

Its a light twin-engine multi-purpose “working class” (but expensive to maintain) helicopter. The EC145 is a ten-seat multi-mission medium-weight class, twin-engine helicopter. Development of the EC145 started in 1977 as BK117 in a co production between MBB from Germany and Kawasaki Heavy Industries from Japan. In June 2006, a variant of Eurocopter’s EC145 beat Agustin HeineaWestland’s AB139, Bell-Textron’s 412EP Twin Huey, and MD Helicopters’ 902 Explorer NOTAR (No Tail Rotor) design.

It incorporates modern features like an open, pillar-less cabin capable of seating up to eight passengers; a high-masted, hinge-less (or “rigid”) rotor system; full IFR; sand filters; and an all-glass “central panel display system” cockpit. Powered by two Turbomeca Arriel 1E2 engines, this modern aircraft embodies the latest technology for safe, reliable and economic operation. The EC145 has the largest cabin in its class, the interior being totally unobstructed by any central pole. The aircraft is capable of transporting up to ten persons (one pilot + nine passengers). The Single-Pilot-IFR-certified EC 145 features a night-vision goggle-compatible, digital glass cockpit with multi-function displays, largely reducing pilot's workload and facilitating day-and-night operations.

Its military twin, the UH-72A Lakota, have become valuable additions to EMS, SAR, law enforcement/para-public and non-combat military operations. The US Army’s LUH is a 345 helicopter program that will be worth $2-3 billion between 2006-2015. It aims to replace existing UH-1 Hueys and OH-58 Kiowa utility variants in non-combat roles, freeing up larger and more expensive UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for front-line duty

The EC135 has now made its mark to be the helicopter of choice for customers looking for light twin-engine rotorcraft products. 135 is pilot proof, fast, quiet, performs, comfortable. It is especially well-received by EMS operators due to its large, unobstructed cabin, oversized sliding side doors and rear clamshell door that enable rapid loading/unloading of passengers and equipment. The biggest problem with these is the Mast moment indicator which is overly sensitive and you have to be careful if you increase the payload. TM's currently appear to be the 'weaker' of the engines found in the 135, but the 'more powerful' Pratts are nasty/dirty.

A record nine units of Eurocopter’s EC135 was sold in 2012, making it the most sought-after light twin-engine helicopter in India. Eurocopter has received a firm order for one EC135 helicopter from Ghodawat Industries following the recent Aero India 2013 event at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bangalore, India. The company has also delivered a new EC135 to Mahindra & Mahindra of India, which will be used for corporate transportation. Ghodawat will use the new aircraft to meet its business aviation requirements, replacing the existing smaller EC120. Expected to be delivered in May this year, the new EC135 aircraft will be modified to accommodate four passengers.

PS: In February 2007, India selected the AS550 C3 Fennec over the Bell 407 helicopter in a deal for 197 helicopters worth 500 million USD. This deal was suspended in June 2007 because of concerns of alleged corruption in the bidding process, and cancelled outright on 6 December 2007.The Indian Army's joint reconnaissance & surveillance helicopter (RSH) acquisition programme -- for 197 helicopters all in flyaway condition for $600-million-- has been indefinitely deferred.

Multi-mission (military)

China imported Mi-8s since 1970s, Mi-17s and Mi-171s later for military forces and civilian cargo transportation. The Mi-8s were inducted into the IAF in 1972 when they arrived in crates from erstwhile USSR to Mumbai where they were assembled and test-flown by Russian and Indian teams before being dispatched to their first unit in Assam.​

Some of China's best attack and transport helicopters rely on designs from Eurocopter, a subsidiary of pan-European aerospace and defense giant EADS.

​Mil Mi-17V helicopter, also known as Mi-17MD, is the export version of Mi-8MT(V5) (Nato 'Hip')

​​The Mi-17 variants are now the mainstay of the IAF for heli-transporting troops across the country from the Himalayan Mountains to coastal areas. The IAF now operates more than 139 Mi-17(V-5)s. The Mi-17V-5, is a more powerful version of the Mi-17 that entered service in the 1980s, with better avionics, new engines, rotor blades and night flying ability. In the past, India had bought a total of 160 Mi-17s. Mi-17 V-5 variant are also being used by Indian Air Force to shuttling civilian VVIP for flights that take less 30 minutes non-stop.

The new helicopter is being used to transport troops; supply Indian army outposts on the remote Himalayan border. In 2008, India had signed a contract for 80 Mi-17V-5s; followed by three additional contracts in 2012-13 for 71 more helicopters. The company has already delivered 151 Mi-17 V5 helicopters to India​ and then another 71 under three follow-on contracts. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) of the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) had cleared the purchase of fifth lot of 48 of these military transport helicopters in September 2015.

Russian Helicopters flies in the Mi-17V-5 in ready-to-assemble kits, and Indian technicians put them together at the IAF depot in Chandigarh Airforce base No 3 Repair Depot. It is the only facility in the country to carry out CKD assembly, repair, overhaul and maintenance of MI-8 and MI-17 helicopters. ​Indian aeronautical engineers specialists have gone to Novosibirsk Aircraft Repair Plant, where they are studying the specialist repair training of 30 Indian Russian-made Mi17-1V helicopters.

The Mi-17 variant aircraft is manufactured at two plants, Kazan and Ulan Ude, and both plants use different nomenclature for their production. Further complication arises from the fact that the two plants use another set of nomenclature to differentiate export models from those produced for domestic Russian use.

The Mi-17 can be recognized because it has the tail rotor on the port side instead of the starboard side, and dust shields in front of the engine intakes. Engine cowls are shorter than on the TV2-powered Mi-8, not extending as far over the cockpit, and an opening for a bleed air valve outlet is present forward of the exhaust. Actual model numbers vary by builder, engine type, and other options. In May 2008 licensed production of the Mi-17 started in China.

Weighing about 14 tons, and carrying a four ton load, the Mi-17 has a range of 800 kilometers at a cruising speed of 260 kilometers per hour. Top speed is 280 kilometers per hour. There is a crew of three and as many passengers as can be squeezed in (up to 40 people, but usually 20-30.) A sling underneath can also carry up to four tons.​

The variant is offered for export sales as the "Mi-171A1". UUAP is now promoting the "Mi-171A2", with more powerful Klimov VK-2500PS-03 engines, a state-of-the-art glass cockpit, composite rotor blades, and an "X"-pattern tail rotor.

The Mi-17-V5 (Mi-17MD) is a "third generation" medium-lift advanced-version military transport version that can also act as a gunship, set to progressively replace Mi-17d and Mi-8d in IAF service. It has enlarged cabin door, car door further to starboard, rear ramp of a nose piece and dolphin-style nose. It is intended for cargo transportation inside the cabin and by the external sling. It can also be used for the transportation of 24 passengers.

Mi-8AMTSh twin-turbine medium-sized troop transport rotor-craft carrier, armed assault version of the Mi-8AMT, that can also act as a gunship, featuring armament derived from the Mil Mi-24V helicopter gunship, including Shturm (AT-6) or Ataka (AT-9) anti-armor missiles and Igla-V (SA-18) air-to-air missiles.

"The IAF has ordered 80 of these helicopters from Russia. Though of Russian-make, fitted with Western sophisticated avionics suite. There is a weather radar on board that allows the aircraft to operate in all weather conditions in any terrain. These choppers are also the first in the country to be equipped with Generation III Night Vision Goggles. This allows them to fly in pitch dark conditions"

On 11 June 2009, it was announced that the United States had handed over four Mi-17 cargo helicopters to the Pakistan Army to facilitate its counter-terrorism operation.

On 19 November 2010, an Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter crashed around Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, India killing all 12 individuals on board. It had taken off from Tawang for Guwahati, and crashed about 5 minutes afterwards at Bomdir.

On 19 April 2011, A Pawan Hans helicopter Mi-172 burst into flames seconds just before landing at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh,India on Tuesday afternoon, killing 17 people on board.

The Mi-17 variant aircraft is manufactured at two plants, Kazan and Ulan Ude, and both plants use different nomenclature for their production. Further complication arises from the fact that the two plants use another set of nomenclature to differentiate export models from those produced for domestic Russian use.

The Mi-17V-5s being delivered to India are part of the legendary Mi-8/17 series. A contract for 80 military transport Mi-17V-5 helicopters was signed by Rosoboronexport in 2008, and all obligations have been met by the Russian side. In 2012 - 2013 India ordered a further 71 helicopters of this model, which are currently being built by Russian Helicopters to the agreed schedule. All helicopters are fitted with a KNEI-8 avionics suite and a new KV-8 autopilot, which helps reduce pilot workload.

The Mi-17-V5 (Mi-17MD) is a "third generation" medium-lift advanced-version military transport version that can also act as a gunship, set to progressively replace Mi-17d and Mi-8d in IAF service. It has enlarged cabin door, car door further to starboard, rear ramp of a nose piece and dolphin-style nose. It is intended for cargo transportation inside the cabin and by the external sling. It can also be used for the transportation of 36 passengers.

The new TV3-117VM twin turbo-shaft engines for 'hot and high' conditions with new auxiliary power unit, which enables it to fly at altitudes up to 6,000 m, achieve a level flight speed of 270 km/h and acquire a climb rate of up to 20 m/s. It also has a state-of-the-art glass cockpit, composite rotor blades, and an "X"-pattern tail rotor. There is a western weather radar on board that allows the aircraft to operate in all weather conditions in any terrain. These choppers are also the first in the country to be equipped with Generation III Night Vision Goggles.

The Mi-17 can be recognized because it has the tail rotor on the port side instead of the starboard side, and dust shields in front of the engine intakes. Engine cowls are shorter than on the TV2-powered Mi-8, not extending as far over the cockpit, and an opening for a bleed air valve outlet is present forward of the exhaust. Actual model numbers vary by builder, engine type, and other options.

Mi-8AMTSh twin-turbine medium-sized troop transport rotor-craft carrier, armed assault version of the Mi-8AMT, that can also act as a gunship, featuring armament derived from the Mil Mi-24V helicopter gunship, including Shturm (AT-6) or Ataka (AT-9) anti-armor missiles and Igla-V (SA-18) air-to-air missiles.

In February 2014, Mi-17V-5 helicopters evacuated about 200 residents of villages in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir in the Himalayas after they became cut off by heavy snowfall.

The Ukrainian KT-01AVE IR jammer is a form-fit replacement for the ZOMZ L166V/V1A Ispanka system used on Mi-8MT/Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopters. It is intended for active protection of helicopters against guided missiles equipped with infra-red homing heads.

The "Adros" KT-01AVE station is capable to suppress infrared homing heads with heightened noise immunity for other types of modulation : frequency-phase modulation (FPM), amplitude-phase and time-pulse-length modulation (PLM). This allows of full lock-on failure for such guided missiles, as Igla (NATO Reporting name SA-18 'Grouse'), Igla-1 (SA-16 'Gimlet'), R-60M (AA-8 'Aphid'), R-73 (AA-11 'Archer'), FIM-92 Stinger and AIM-9 Sidewinder types, with 0.5 to 0.8 s jamming exposure being needed to divert a Stinger-type missile off-track and others. KT-01AVE is further noted as making use of a 'new' method of electro-optic suppression and a new modulator design that incorporates electronic control and digital signal processing.

KT-01AVE is designed for installing on Mi-24, Mi-8, Mi-17 helicopters and their modifications, but can be also installed on other helicopters. Additional PIK-01V engine exhaust shield & shrouds system element for the Adros installation itself also improves its efficiency.

China's Mil Mi-171E is an advanced export version of the Mi-8M series (Mi-8AMT and Mi-171) in Russian service.

Mi-171E was specifically designed for operations in Middle East and Asian countries. The helicopter is rugged and an inexpensive ($4-5 million each) transport helicopter. The basic Mi-171 is based on the 1970s era Mi-17, which is the export version of the similar Mi-8. The Mi-17s sold to China were unarmed, but the PLA managed to fit these helicopters with external weapon pylons similar to those used by the Russian Army. Currently China operates 160 Mi-171 helicopters.

This model can carry up to 37 passengers or four tons of cargo and has engines that are particularly effective under "hot and high" conditions. This is useful for the Chinese, who need equipment that can operate in Tibet (where many areas are at altitudes of over 4,000 meters). External stores are mounted on weapons racks on each side of the fuselage, with a total of six hardpoints. So far Mi-17s in service with the PLA have been seen carrying the 12.7mm machine gun pod, 57/68mm unguided rocket launcher, 250/500kg free-fall bomb, or TY-90 air-to-air missile according to their missions.

China and Venezuela use in higher mountains have the new VK-2500 model of the engine with FADEC manage. This engine which is optimal for use on high mountains could possibly be seen in the recent deal with China, who want to bring a boost to their tactical airlift capabilities. Despite previous efforts, the People's Liberation Army are still seen as lacking in these capabilities compared to Western powers. This deal may prove a great help in future natural disasters, as a lack of vertical lift transportation can be a major blow to disaster relief operations such when recoveries were trying to be made during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

In 2008 licensed creation of the Mi-17 commenced in China, with manufacturing being led by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant JSC and the Sichuan Lantian Helicopter Business Constrained in Chengdu, Sichuan province. The variants to be constructed are Mi-171, Mi-17V5, and Mi-17V7. In 2010 Chinese and Russian helicopter manufacturers established a joint venture to perform maintenance and refurbishment on helicopters, especially those of Russian design. It appears that the main function of the new "military technical cooperation" agreement was to stop China from exporting their copies of Russian equipment, and competing with the Russian originals.

The Ukrainian KT-01AVE IR jammer is a form-fit replacement for the ZOMZ L166V/V1A Ispanka system used on Mi-8MT/Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopters. It is intended for active protection of helicopters against guided missiles equipped with infra-red homing heads.

The "Adros" KT-01AVE station is capable to suppress infrared homing heads with heightened noise immunity for other types of modulation : frequency-phase modulation (FPM), amplitude-phase and time-pulse-length modulation (PLM). This allows of full lock-on failure for such guided missiles, as Igla (NATO Reporting name SA-18 'Grouse'), Igla-1 (SA-16 'Gimlet'), R-60M (AA-8 'Aphid'), R-73 (AA-11 'Archer'), FIM-92 Stinger and AIM-9 Sidewinder types, with 0.5 to 0.8 s jamming exposure being needed to divert a Stinger-type missile off-track and others. KT-01AVE is further noted as making use of a 'new' method of electro-optic suppression and a new modulator design that incorporates electronic control and digital signal processing.

KT-01AVE is designed for installing on Mi-24, Mi-8, Mi-17 helicopters and their modifications, but can be also installed on other helicopters. Additional PIK-01V engine exhaust shield & shrouds system element for the Adros installation itself also improves its efficiency.

The lack of fixed-wing heavy airlift transports was a much discussed topic within China and on the PLA Daily’s own online discussion forums, as the PLA relied heavily on civilian airliners for personnel transportation and reserved its 14 IL-76MD heavy transports for specialised purposes such as ferrying telecommunications devices, ambulances, tents, medical supplies, etc. It will impossible to argue that the CMC does not realise this shortage exists, as the then Defence Minister Gen Cao Guangchuan personally ordered an additional 38 cargo versions of the IL-76MD transport back in 2005. However, that deal subsequently fell through due to delivery delays and pricing issues. During the three years before the quake, there was no major attempt to beef up the fleet with cheaper, although somewhat less capable, locally-made Shaanxi Y-8 military transports.

Another item relating to shortfalls that drew much criticism within both the PLA and China’s state-controlled print/electronic media during this earthquake was the lack of transport helicopters. At its peak, the PLA mobilised close to 150 helicopters out of a total of 500 available. Even at that, 150 helicopters were not sufficient to handle all the critical work.

The twin engine helicopter normally carry 12 troops. The 412 has a top speed of 259 kilometres an hour. The 412 helicopter is manufactured by Bell Helicopters and also by AgustaWestland under licence. Over 50 nations use the 412 as a military transport.

The 5.3 ton Bell 412 transport helicopters look like the Vietnam era UH-1s. That’s because the 412 is an updated version of the Bell 212 (with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor) and earlier Bell 205, which was a civilian version of the 1960s era U.S. Army UH-1 (“Huey”). The 412 entered service in 1981 and nearly 900 have been built so far.

China's Z-11 is based on the French AS 350B Squirrel (Ecureuil) two-ton light utility helicopter, although China claims to owns independent intellectual property rights for the Z-11. The Z-11 program was approved in 1989 and the development began in 1992.

This is the first type of Chinese helicopter certified with full-cycle airworthiness management and the only "credit-winning" Chinese helicopter. Z-11 has established many new national records in helicopter's flight history of China, especially in high-altitude and extreme cold areas, including for the highest availability rate.

A twin-engine Z-11 is being developed with the help of Rolls Royce, that is better than the AS-555 FENNEC. The WZ-11 employs a sight mounted on top the fuselage and has weapons pylons for either four guided anti-armor missiles or four unguided rocket pods. In late 2003 the PLA was reported to have built six of these WZ-11 Combat Songshu versions.

China also produces the Z-8, a version of the Aerospatiale Super Frelon multi-role transport helicopter.

China's Z-20 medium transport helicopter

China's Z-20 is a tactical medium Transport/Utility Helicopter that fills the gap between the 4-ton class Z-9 and the 13-ton class Z-8 (& Z-18). The helicopter has a maximum takeoff weight in the range of 10 tons. It is projected to replace eventually the large number of Russian Mi-17 and Mi-171. ​​In the future, once the platform matures, like the S-70 and NH-90, it will be also used in the Navy for ASW & SAR roles and can replace Mi-17 and Z-8B. It may even replace many roles currently handled by the undersized Z-9 helicopter.

Development of the so-called “10-tonne helicopter project” started in 2006 when a small-scale model of the Z-20 was shown at that year’s Zhuhai Airshow. But it was not until December 23, 2013 that the Z-20 made its first flight. It made its first public appearance at the 2016 Zhuhai Airshow. The design of the Z-20 clearly references the US-made Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, but the differences between them show the different needs of the PLA compared with the US. Key visual differences are five main rotor blades on the Z-20, and more angular tail–to-fuselage joint frame. A crucial part of a successful development of the Z-20 would be the integration of its engines. It is widely believed that the primary powerplant for the Z-20 is the domestic WZ-10 turboshaft engine, providing 1,600 kW (about 2,145 shp). In comparison, the latest UH-60 GE T700-701D engines produce 1,500 kW (about 2,011 shp).

The Z-20 requirement dates back to the 1980s, when China was seeking a medium utility helicopter for operations in the mountainous west region. While China has never had any Black Hawks, the Army (PLAAF) eventually managed to import 24 civilian Sikorsky S-70C-2 variant with the enhanced General Electric T700-701A engines and have been using it since 1984 (before the Tiananmen Square massacre and subsequent arms embargo). It was reported that the S-70’s performance in the highlands was unmatched, even with the later acquisition by China of Mil Mi-17V5 helicopters from Russia.

U.S-made Sikorsky UH-60 (S-70C-2) is arguably the most successful 10-ton utility helicopter in service. The 11 ton UH-60M can carry 14 troops, or 1.1 tons of cargo internally, or four tons slung underneath. The 20 year older American Blackhawk (UH-60) design max speed is 285 kilometers an hour and endurance is 2.1 hours. Max endurance is two hours, although most sorties last 90 minutes or less. Max altitude is 5,790 meters (19,000 feet).

AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin VVIP transport helicopters

For the first time ever, India has scrapped a military hardware contract. Less than a year after the Indian government suspended a Euro 556 million deal for 12 AgustaWestland AW101 VVIP helicopters, the deal has finally been formally cancelled. However, blacklisting of international firms is not being favoured any more – despite 15 companies having been blacklisted in the past. This is because blacklisting decreases the number of bidders, the variety of technology available and consequently increases the cost of acquisition. Sources indicated that by not choosing to blacklist the companies accused by the CBI in the kickbacks case, India has been keeping open its options of not only trading with these firms, but also ensuring that it does not incur any loss in the AgustaWestland deal.

Westland used to be a UK firm and was taken over by Italian defence giant Finmeccanica. The AW159 is the latest twin-engine multi-role, maritime and utility aircraft developed from the extremely successful AgustaWestland Lynx family of helicopters.

The AW 101 had also been selected by the US Army for White House use, but President Barack Obama had the deal cancelled as part of the measures to reduce defence expenditure.

The helicopter was selected after field trials whose results were evaluated by the IAF and the Special Protection Group (SPG), responsible for protection of the prime minister and select political leaders. It was chosen over the American Sikorsky S92 Superhawk and is considered to have got the nod as it had features that suited security requirements.

The IAF has been using Soviet-vintage Mi-8s and some Mi-17s to fly the prime minister and other dignitaries, but both the IAF and the security agencies have been sweating over their continued use. It has also been felt that the VIP helicopters have to be modern, with the best of the communication equipment, and also secured against terror threats.

It is understood that the AW 101 machines are being fitted with missile jammers and electronic warfare counter-measure gadgets as indeed like those of the US or other presidents around the world. No details are available though.

It was in August 1999 that the IAF, which is responsible for carrying out VVIP communication taskings, had proposed the replacement of its then Mi-8T VVIP helicopters of its Air HQ Communication Squadron due to severe operational constraints, such as the Mi-8T’s inability of to operate at night and in adverse weather, inability to operate safely at places in elevations beyond 2,000 metres, and the approaching end of their total technical service lives (TTSL). IAF felt the need for the replacement of Mi-8 helicopters as they were completing their total technical life.

Since, AgustaWestland EH-101 was not certified for an altitude of 6000 meters, it did not participate in the flight evaluation. The Russian helicopter Mi-172 could not comply with 7 mandatory Operational Requirements. After flight evaluation, Eurocopter EC-225 of France was found suitable for acquisition.

Defence Minister George Fernandes had initially kept the requirement to 18,000 feet because he travelled frequently to Siachen. But that stringent requirement meant that only one helicopter, offered by Eurocopter, met the Indian requirements. Brajesh Mishra, then prime minister’s principal secretary and India’s first national security advisor, observed that his main concern was that the framing of the mandatory requirements has led us effectively into a single vendor situation. It was also noted that PM and President have rarely made visits to places involving flying at an altitude beyond 4500 meters. In the meeting it was decided that 15,000 feet would suffice and mandatory OR for an operational altitude 4,500 metres. The higher flying ceiling of 6,000 metres, and the mandated internal cabin height of 1.8 metres could be made desirable. . It was observed that with these revisions, several helicopters which otherwise met all requirements but had been rejected due to the altitude restriction, would now come into the reckoning.

The meeting was followed by a letter dated 22nd December, 2003 from the Principal Secretary to PM to the Air Chief, stating that it was unfortunate that neither PMO nor SPG was consulted while framing these mandatory requirements. He suggested that CAS and Defence Secretary may jointly review the matter to draw up realistic mandatory requirements satisfying operational, security and convenience requirements of VVIPs and also set in motion a fast track process for selection and acquisition of the replacement helicopters.

Further, says Tyagi, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) felt that the Eurocopter did not meet the requirements of the Special Protection Group (SPG), which is responsible for the PM’s security. The Eurocopter’s passenger cabin was too low, which meant that the security personnel could not take position while travelling with the PM.

The quantity of helicopters proposed for procurement was revised from 8 to 12 helicopters by adding 4 helicopters in non-VIP configuration for security reasons. The Field Evaluation Trial of M/s AgustaWestland was carried out in UK and trials of M/s Sikorsky were carried out in USA from 16 January 2008 to February 2008. The Field Evaluation Trial team submitted its report in April 2008 and recommended AW-101 helicopter of M/s AgustaWestland for induction into Service. SPG was also part of the Field Evaluation Trial team. The Staff Evaluation Report of Air HQ concluded that the S-92 helicopter was non-compliant with respect to four SQRs for the VVIP helicopter (Missile Approach Warning System, Service Ceiling of 4.5 km, Drift Down Altitude and Hover Out of Ground Effect). The Staff Evaluation Report assessed the VVIP helicopter AW-101 to be fully compliant with all SQRs.

It was the SPG and the PMO which, then, drove most of the decision-making on the helicopter’s specifications. This contract was not handled by the IAF, like conventional weapons contracts. Technical Oversight Committee constituted on 6 August 2008 found that the field evaluation trials, compliance to SQRs and selection of vendors were done according to the prescribed procedures.

Even today, after all the sound and fury in Italy following the arrest of Giuseppe Orsi, former CEO of Finmeccanica (the parent company of AgustaWestland), and the filing of the charge-sheet that names the Tyagi brothers and the former Air Chief SP Tyagi, the Indian government’s response appears leaden-footed. Mr Antony has unilaterally “initiated action for cancellation of contract for procurement of 12 AW101 helicopters for the use of VVIPs”, by sending AgustaWestland a show cause notice asking why New Delhi should not cancel the Rs 4,000 crore contract signed in 2010. Just three of the twelve helicopters ordered have been delivered so far while India has already paid at least 40 per cent of the contract amount, according to knowledgeable persons, including former IAF boss, Air Chief Marshal Fali Major.

In the thick of allegations of the Rs 3,600 crore scam in the deal of 12 helicopters to India, Italian company Finmeccanica today said it is ready to cooperate with authorities here and demonstrate that “it has fully complied with Indian law and ethics principles”.

The bribe money was transferred allegedly through two Indian companies IDS Infotech and Aeromatrix, which have also been named in the PE besides Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland.

The former Finmeccanica head, Giuseppe Orsi, and the former AgustaWestland Chief Executive Officer, Bruno Spagnolini, have also been named in the PE.

The Italian investigation report mentions that money was given on a monthly basis through front companies allegedly in the garb of bogus software development contracts. According to Italian agencies, payments running into several million euros were made by AgustaWestland between 2007 and 2012 to IDS Tunisia and the money was routed to its Indian arm against alleged fake bills.

A particular problem was the lack of ground clearance. The NH-90 could not land on a piece of ground with any obstacles higher than 16 cm (6.4 inches). That makes many battlefield landing zones problematic. The passenger seats could hold more than 110 kg. Combat equipment for German troops weighs 25 kg, meaning any soldier weighing more than 85 kg has to take stuff off, put it on the floor then quickly put it back on before exiting. Worse, there is the rear ramp. It could not support troops carrying all their equipment, making it useless for rapid exits of combat troops. There was not enough room in the passenger compartment for door gunners. There were no strap downs for larger weapons, like portable rocket launchers or anti-aircraft missiles. The passenger compartment also did not allow for carrying both cargo and passengers. The winch was not sturdy enough for commandos to perform fast roping operations.

The 20 year older American Blackhawk (UH-60) design max speed is 285 kilometers an hour and endurance is 2.1 hours. The NH-90 has more powerful engines and larger fuel capacity. NH-90 can carry over four tons of cargo or 20 troops. Max speed is 300 kilometers an hour and endurance is over 2.5 hours. The big difference is in cost. Originally Germany ordered 122 NH-90s at a cost of over $50 million each. In 2010 Australia received 8 of the 50 NH-90 helicopters it ordered, and was not happy with the aircraft's performance. The overall complaint was poor reliability, design and durability. Many more spare parts had to be stocked than was originally planned. Sweden has pointed out that its 18 NH9-0s cost over $24,000 an hour to operate while its American made UH-60s cost only $4,500 an hour. Moreover the Swedish NH-90s had a low readiness rate, about half that of the UH-60.